Il Piacere 2022

The Verdict

Il Piacere 2022 takes its name from what is considered the greatest work of Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, and Paolo Terenzi delivers something with genuine literary ambition. This is not a simple floral. The anniversary reformulation of the original Il Piacere is a complex, multi-layered extrait de parfum that opens with crisp floral brightness and unfolds through multiple stages before arriving at a warm, resinous base. At 400 EUR for 100ml, it sits firmly in luxury niche territory and justifies that positioning with serious materials and construction — for those who respond to its particular kind of florality.

What It Smells Like

The opening is bright and clean — White Ginger Lily and Bulgarian Rose with a water-like freshness, accompanied by Bergamot and a hint of Peach. The Artemisia adds a slight herbal quality that keeps the opening from being purely sweet. Then, fairly quickly, the saffron note arrives. Community reviewers note a powdery, textured quality that emerges from this transition — the saffron adding warmth and spice without dominance.

The floral heart is generous: Jasmine Sambac, Orange Blossom, Chinese Peony, Violet, and Lily-of-the-Valley alongside Guaiac Wood. The guaiac wood is the clever structural element here — it gives the floral bouquet a slightly smoky, woody underpinning that prevents it from floating away into generic sweetness. One reviewer described finding something in this composition that "smelled unique and romantic but still had some depth," noting an inability to compare it to anything similar in their collection.

The base of Ambergris, Bourbon Vanilla, Australian Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, and Musk provides a warm, slightly creamy landing. The sandalwood and ylang-ylang together create the richness characteristic of Tiziana Terenzi's house style.

When to Wear It

Spring through fall, with an evening and occasion lean. The community votes slightly favor evening wear (23% night vs 19% day), which makes sense — the extrait concentration and the richness of the composition feel more suited to special occasions than to daily office wear.

That said, one reviewer who blind-bought it wore it regularly with enthusiasm. It's a versatile floral in the sense that confident floral wearers will find contexts for it across seasons and occasions.

Longevity & Projection

The extrait concentration delivers. Fragrantica community rates longevity at 3.40 out of 5 and sillage at 2.71 out of 4, but these numbers likely undersell the extrait's actual tenacity in practice — extraits frequently last longer than their Fragrantica scores suggest due to the way they interact differently with different skin types. Reviewers report hours of wear with the florals evolving gradually through the dry-down.

One important caveat: at least one reviewer reported a severe physical reaction — "huge migraine for hours, burning nostrils, nose-blind for days." Dense floral extrait compositions can be genuinely overwhelming for sensitive individuals. If you have a history of fragrance-induced headaches, proceed carefully and test in small amounts first.

The Community Says

Those who love it, love it without reservation. "This is so beautiful — I am so glad I blind bought it" is representative of the enthusiast response. Another reviewer called it "another complex floral creation by Paolo Terenzi that smells unique and romantic but still has some depth." The consistent theme across positive reviews is the complexity and uniqueness — this doesn't smell like other rose-centric florals.

The skeptical community voices raise two objections: the price (400 EUR is difficult to justify for anything, regardless of quality), and the familiar criticism that Tiziana Terenzi has become "hyper-productive" and may be releasing quantity over distinct identity. Some feel the house has converged on a recognizable formula that Il Piacere 2022 doesn't transcend.

Who Should Buy This

Floral fragrance enthusiasts who appreciate niche house extrait concentrations, complex construction, and Italian perfumery tradition will find a lot to appreciate here. The rose-jasmine-peony combination with guaiac wood and ambergris is executed with genuine skill.

Those new to niche florals or to Tiziana Terenzi should sample first — the house style is distinctive and not universally loved. The price demands confidence, not curiosity.

Anyone with fragrance sensitivity or a history of migraines from dense florals should be particularly careful with extrait-strength compositions of this type.

The Bottom Line

Il Piacere 2022 is a rich, complex floral extrait that earns its luxury positioning through material quality and construction rather than novelty alone. The rose-centric heart with guaiac wood and ambergris creates something that the community genuinely struggles to compare to other fragrances — which is a meaningful achievement. At the price point, it's a considered purchase for serious floral enthusiasts. For everyone else, a sample is the only responsible entry point.